‘there are people whose needs are greater’

An Ashford Borough Council spokesman said Mrs Blunt’s request did not fit into the category of a disabled adaptation, but fitted the category for a discretionary responsive repair.

The spokesman said: “The family are fully aware of the council’s position on this matter. It is a sad position, but it reflects the fact that there are a number of people whose needs have been identified as greater.

“While in an ideal world we would be in a position to assist everyone who asked for help, the facts of the matter are that we cannot.”

The spokesman added that an extra £100,000 has been put into the budget for disabled adaptations this year, taking the figure to £400,000, and the budget will increase to £700,000 to meet growing demand, but accepted that it will not be enough to help everyone.